People Buy From People: Why You (Not Stock Images) Are Your Best Sales Tool
The Race to the Bottom
Hairdresser Beau, team member at William Charles Hair
Are you finding it tough obtaining new business or indeed maintaining existing business?
Competition is fierce, margins are being eroded, and inflation is shrinking revenue streams so that investment seems unfeasible. It’s not news to say that the ongoing cost of living crisis means that everyone’s belts are tight and prospects are more wary of investing in our businesses. Do you find yourself wondering how your competition is able to reduce prices so drastically? Surely lead generation will pick up if only you can undercut your competition?
In order to remain profitable, it’s all too tempting to cut costs on what we consider discretionary spending. In my industry the first areas that get affected are advertising, marketing and images. All too many businesses have turned to stock photography and AI to produce their visual assets, so much so in fact that we’re now inundated with visuals like never before. This is such a false economy, saving a few pennies (fewer than you might think) and not helping you improve margins through positioning.
The problem? Stick photography and AI images don't add value but, instead, misrepresent you and your hard-earned reputation.
How many websites have you seen that feature bland groups of generic people in generic suits, smiling generically, using photos that are virtually identical from the next website? Whether the photos were lifted from stock photography sites or created with AI, the result is the same: businesses that look the same, racing to the bottom on price and struggling to make money.
I get it: it’s so tempting to look to cheap, stock imagery or just get some AI to make something up for the odd social post. But, when everyone looks the same, how do you stand out?
For the influential business advisor Daniel Priestly in Oversubscribed, there are three ways of distinguishing yourself in the market:
– Price
– A unique product
– Convenience
The problem with differentiating yourself on price is that, the more than you cut costs, the more you must increase the volume of sales significantly. This is because of the low percentage of cost that is profit anyway: unless you can significantly decrease your costs yourself, by lowering price you’ll be eating away at your profit margin and so will have to sell significantly more product/service in order to make up for the loss.
You may be in the position to do so and, if so, fantastic! However, for most people, this equals exhaustion, overwork, and an unsustainable work/life balance.
What’s at Stake – You Only Get One Chance at Making a First Impression.
When someone sees your marketing or visits your website, your visuals do a lot of heavy lifting – especially the first time. In marketing, this is called the ‘Primacy Effect’: when a person has a series of experiences the first one always sticks in their head longer. So, it’s vitally important to strike a good impression right away, as this will prime your audience for all their future interactions with your brand.
It’s so much more difficult to change a bad impression than it is to create a new one. People will make an impression of you and your business, so what’s their impression going to be the first time they form it?
Renee posing for her corporate headshot at Kingsfords Solicitors
Stock imagery is indeed cheap, but it also lacks specificity and (most importantly) sincerity – and audiences notice. The number of websites I’ve been to that advertise themselves as a ‘family business’ but don’t have any photos of the family, or shout about the importance of building relationships without any people on the website! I don’t know about you, but I find it very hard to take seriously the claims of a business that says one thing but doesn’t actually show it.
Imagine you own a restaurant and you’re really proud of a lasagna you’ve just put on the menu. You’ve travelled around Italy for the best recipe, slaved away in the kitchen to perfect it, and now it’s time to put it on the menu. Are you going to download some stock image of something generic (or even worse an AI-generated image) to show it off? Of course not! So why use a stock photo of a smiling stranger to represent your team?
Your business is your people. They’re your unique selling point, not a stock photo’s idea of what professionalism looks like. Avoiding stock images is not just aesthetic: it’s strategic.
How I Help You Stand Out
Throughout all my work as a professional photographer, my purpose has been to create portraits that stir emotion; images that provoke a visceral response every time they’re seen. Beyond technical mastery, I ensure clients are confident expressing themselves, drawing on award-winning university teaching experience, a thoughtfully curated studio environment, and an artistic practice shaped by a PhD in continental philosophy.
When it comes to business portraits that convert, I understand that people buy from people and, even more than that, people they trust.
That’s the problem with stock and AI-generated assets: they instil mistrust because they misrepresent you, the business, and everyone working there. Instead of turning to something generic, let’s make something special and unique. Why not use portraits that define your professional identity, combining confidence with character, which distinguish your brand and elevate your profile? The results of a better differentiated brand are huge:
Better conversion rates
Improved client trust and retention
Consistent brand identity
Reduced marketing friction over time (reusable assets)
In short:
Photography is a business investment, not a luxury.
Cases in Point
If often think that businesses could learn a lot from people in the creative arts, with whom I work a lot. Every actor knows that they must invest in their public image because it is the first thing a casting agent will see of theirs. The arts are under threat in the UK, so it’s always heartwarming to hear of young people in the creative arts’ success:
Morgan came to see me recently, fresh out of dance school and excited to start his career. We had a wonderful afternoon in the studio, took hundreds of photos, and he came away with a portfolio of images that showed off his creative potential and emotional depth. Two days after he had updated his Spotlight portfolio, his Mum emailed me to say he’d already been at an audition thanks to the photos and had been offered another one! I was delighted for Morgan and he’s now well on his way to start his dance career.
Morgan sitting in the studio for his portfolio update
‘Chris’ skill, level of service, guidance and supportive manner were incredible. Chris supported me with a selection of headshots and photos as part of me launching my business. As I’m someone who’s never been in front of a professional before he gave great guidance on what to do, and advice as to what may work best. The session was not stressful at all, and the quality of the photos is amazing! I would wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone who’s considering getting professional photos done!’
Paul Neal | Verdant Purpose HR
Conclusion: You Are the Best Thing About Your Business
In a world where everyone is trying to stand out, it’s surprising how many businesses rely on the same recycled visuals to represent themselves. But the truth is that no one can compete with you at being you. Your personality, your team, and your presence are what make your business distinctive, and showing up visually is one of the most powerful ways to communicate that.
For many of the professionals I photograph, good photography doesn’t just document how they look. It builds trust, creates a connection, and helps people feel like they already know them – everything that stock images and AI-generated faces undermine.
So, if you’re ready to stop blending in and start presenting yourself with intention, let’s create images that speak clearly about who you are and what you offer. People buy from people, and the right people are far more likely to buy from you when they can actually see you.
Whether you’re refreshing your LinkedIn profile, updating your website, or building a brand from the ground up, let’s make sure your image speaks with the same precision and care you bring to your work. Ready to stop relying on stock and start showing up for real? Let’s talk.
